Pool Finishes Compared: Marcite, Quartz and Pebble Surfaces

This guide compares three pool finishes: white plaster, which the trade calls marcite; quartz; and pebble, also called exposed aggregate. Their makers describe each one differently, and two of them give different lifespans for the same finish, so this guide quotes both.

Marcite, quartz and pebble

• Marcite. “Traditional white pool plaster, often called marcite, is white cement mixed with crushed marble, and it typically lasts 7 to 10 years,” says SGM. It calls marcite the smoothest and lowest-cost option, with the shortest lifespan in the group and the lowest fade resistance.
• Quartz. “What most people call quartz pool plaster is cement blended with colored quartz aggregate,” SGM says. The quartz “adds hardness and color stability that plain plaster lacks”.
• Pebble. “Exposed aggregate sets natural aggregate in fortified Portland cement, then washes the surface during application to expose it.” SGM says it is “textured underfoot rather than slick”, with the longest lifespan and the highest fade resistance. Pebble Tec is Pebble Technology International’s brand of pebble finish.

How long each finish lasts

SGM: “Traditional white plaster typically lasts 7 to 10 years. Quartz finishes run 15 to 20 years, and exposed aggregate 20 years or more.” Pebble Technology International says plaster may “require resurfacing every 5 to 10 years”, quartz lasts “around 7 to 15 years” and pebble “lasts over 20 years with proper maintenance and pool chemistry.” SGM says water chemistry and installation decide where a pool lands in those ranges.

Pebble Tec vs plaster

On both makers’ figures, pebble outlasts plaster: SGM gives 7 to 10 years for white plaster against 20 or more for exposed aggregate, and Pebble Technology International gives 5 to 10 against over 20. Plaster is smoother underfoot; pebble is textured.

Quartz vs pebble

SGM rates quartz at 15 to 20 years, smooth, with moderate to high fade resistance, and pebble at 20 years or more, textured, with high fade resistance. Pebble Technology International puts quartz at around 7 to 15 years.

Questions to ask before you choose

Ask which maker’s finish is quoted, what that maker says about its life and its warranty, how the finish feels underfoot, and what start-up routine it needs. Pool resurfacing covers the job itself, and the signs your plaster is worn out help decide when.